𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 | s. lopez + b. pierce

Wheels

Jayden was sitting on Artie's lap, laughing as he did wheelies with his wheelchair.

"This is fun," she giggled as she held onto his shoulders so she didn't fall.

"Artie, if you hurt her, I swear..." Rachel said, watching the brunette boy carefully as he continued to do tricks with her tiny sister in his lap.

"All right, guys. We're doing a new number for sectionals," Mr. Schue said as he came into the choir room. "Artie, Jayden, time to focus. Four wheels on the floor, please."

Jayden hopped off of Artie's lap and went to sit down in the back with Brittany and Santana. As she sat down, the blonde pulled her into her lap, holding her close as Mr. Schue started handing out sheet music.

"I know that pop songs have sort of been our signature pieces, but I did a little research on past winners, and it turns out that the judges like songs that are more accessible," the teacher said.
"Stuff they know. Uh, standards, Broadway."

"Defying Gravity?" Kurt excitedly gasped. "I have an iPod shuffle dedicated exclusively to selections from Wicked. This is amazing."

"Think you can handle it, Rachel?" Mr. Schue asked the diva as Kurt's smile faded.

"It's my go-to shower song," said Rachel. "It's also my ringtone."

"Your ringtone is Don't Rain On My Parade," Jayden frowned.

"Nobody asked you, Jayden Bernadette."

"Why do we have to go all vanilla on this song?" Mercedes asked. "See, what we need is my chocolate thunder."

"Okay, we don't have time to rearrange a song for you, Mercedes," said Mr. Schue. "Rachel is singing it. Don't worry, we'll find something for you to dip in chocolate. On to item two. The school won't pay for the special bus we need to take Artie and his wheelchair with us to sectionals.

"W-w-what?" Tina asked.

"That's completely unfair!" Jayden protested.

"So we're going to have to raise money to pay for it ourselves," Mr. Schue continued. "See, when I was in glee club, and we needed new silk cummerbunds for regionals, we held a bake sale."

"You're joking, right?" Santana scoffed. "I mean, bake sales are kind of bougie."

"So hip people stopped eating delicious, sugary treats?"

"It's not that? It's most of us don't know how to bake?" Brittany frowned. "I find... recipes confusing."

"Jayden and my's family is fully committed to takeout," said Rachel.

"No more pizza, please," Jayden quietly begged, shaking her head. "I can't do that again."

"But pizza's so good, Guppy," Brittany said as she played with the younger girl's brunette locks, twirling a strand between her fingers.

"Not when you've had it every night for a week," Jayden pouted, leaning her head onto Brittany's shoulder.

"Mr. Schue, kids are busier than when you went here," Finn spoke up. "We've got homework and football and teen pregnancy... lunch."

"Can't Artie's dad just take him?" Mercedes asked.

"I can't believe how insensitive you're all being," said Mr. Schue. "Are you a team?"

"Of course," said Quinn. "But Artie understands. Don't you, Artie?"

"Oh... of course," Artie said, forcing a smile as Jayden frowned. "I-It's cool. Anything that takes away our time from rehearsing doesn't serve the team."